I believe that the Synod of Bishops will issue some controversial changes to discipline and some clarifications of doctrine. We must keep in mind a few important points as this controversy unfolds:

1. The Pope can never teach heresy, nor fall into heresy himself.

2. The Pope has the authority from Christ to make changes to discipline. These judgments and rulings are fallible, and subject to later reform. The faithful are free to disagree with any particular rule or ruling, but we cannot deny that the Pope possesses this authority.

3. Jesus calls us to love and humility. We must consider that love and mercy are more important than any passing controversy. We must not judge every word and deed of the Pope as if we were greater than the Pope. The critics of Pope Francis, who speak as if they themselves could never err, are acting with pride, not humility.

4. The Pope has the role from God to teach us and to correct us.

5. The prudential judgments of any Pope on matters of discipline are fallible, but so are our own judgments on the same matters.

6. The non-infallible teachings of the Magisterium require our religious assent, but these teaching can err (though only to a limited extent).

7. The infallible teachings of the Pope, of Ecumenical Councils, and of the ordinary and universal Magisterium can never err. If we disagree, it is we who have misunderstood and erred.

8. The one true Church is led by each successor of Peter. There is no other Church to which we can turn when our Church is troubled by controversies.

Ron,
What can the ordinary lay Catholic, such as most of us are, do when the Synod meets and we begin to see the resulting problems?

We should pray, practice self-denial, be merciful to others, and support the Pope and his authoritative decisions on discipline and doctrine. We cannot prevent schism or apostasy from occurring. People have free will, and already many Catholics have decided that they understand the Faith better than the Pope.

If I disagree with any decision of the Pope, I might write an article discussing the topic. But I will not assume that he is wrong, nor conflate a change in discipline with a change in doctrine.

There will be much confusion and many people will soon fall away from the Church. Only prayerful humble faithful souls will be able to persevere without falling away.

Is there any way we can know how the bishops from our dioceses act when the Synod meets? Would our direct contact with the bishops have any effect on how they act? I guess I want to know if the bishops respond to their parishioners' wills at all.

Is there any way we can know how the bishops from our dioceses act when the Synod meets? Would our direct contact with the bishops have any effect on how they act? I guess I want to know if the bishops respond to their parishioners' wills at all.

No, I don't think it is a good idea to contact Bishops directly in advance of the Synod. The Bishops are not like elected political leaders. They are not supposed to represent the will of the people, but the will of Christ.

A Synod cannot teach infallibly. But the Pope can teach infallibly at any time. Teachings of the Magisterium that do not fall under one of the three modes of infallibility are non-infallible, and subject to only a limited possibility of error and reform. Decisions on discipline are generally fallible.